From Awareness to Protection: Investigating Cybercrime Knowledge and Victimization Risks Among Prospective Teachers

Abstract

Globalization of information and communication technologies (ICT) has revolutionized education and provided new prospects in learning and professional growth. Nonetheless, with this digital development, there is also a great challenge including those concerning security. This study aimed to analyze the knowledge, awareness and risk of victims of cyber-crime among prospective teachers of public sector universities of Punjab, Pakistan. The research's focus is on how social and professional ties relate to the awareness and protective practices of cybersecurity, guided by Social Bond Theory, which suggests that close social relationships and conforming to societal norms lowers deviant behaviors. A quantitative research design was used to survey students attending various universities with a structured questionnaire to measure cyber-crime awareness, threat exposure, and use of cyber safety precautions. The reliability analysis showed that constructs measured were reliable and suitable for analysis. The results indicate that potential teachers have a moderate awareness of cyber-crime dangers and different levels of involvement in protective conducts. Increased awareness was correlated with more proactive security measures, but there is still a lack of knowledge about what to report and how to deal with social engineering threats. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of robust cyber security education initiatives within higher education institutions, particularly focusing on preventive measures and safe online practices to empower the next generation of educators to operate safely and responsibly in digital spaces.